Frankfurt pull the plug on Durosinmi signing as Onazi reveals why his move to Chelsea collapsed

Frankfurt pulled the plug on Durosinmi's signing as Onazi reveals why his move to Chelsea collapsed

Raising star Rafiu Durosinmi's dream move to German top side Eintracht Frankfurt has collapsed.

According to top German newspaper, Bild, the Bundesliga side pulled the plug on the deal after an abnormality was discovered during his medical examination which was not related to the knee injury he is recovering from.

“On New Year’s Day, the Frankfurt team proudly announced the signing of loan Dutchman Donny van de Beek, a day later the first transfer setback: the move from Rafiu Durosinmi is over,” the website wrote.

“There were abnormalities during the mandatory medical check that caused Eintracht to refrain from this transfer. According to BILD information, it wasn’t about his knee ligament he tore at the beginning of October.”

Frankfurt saw Durosinmi as an ideal replacement for Randal Kolo Muani who joined Paris Saint Germain last summer.

The 20-year-old Nigerian was in fine form for the Czech side this season before tearing his knee ligament.

Standing at 1.92m tall, the striker is known for his aerial ability and strength, but also his pace with the ball.

The Nigerian was supposed to join the 2022 UEFA  Europa League champions for €9m and should have signed a long-term contract that would keep him at the club till 2028.

Elsewhere, former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has explained how his planned move to Chelsea fell through due to age issues.

Onazi, 31, who currently plays for Italian fourth-division side Avezzano, stated that the move to Chelsea did not materialize because he was not up to 18 then.

“When I was young, I almost signed for Chelsea, but I was underage and couldn’t play,” Onazi told Spor Arena.

“I had to wait until I was 18. There was a lot of process. That’s why my manager decided that we would go to Italy at that time. So I could start in Lazio’s second team and then, when I developed, I could start in the first team.”

Onazi spent four seasons at Lazio (2012 to 2016) and went to Turkish club Trabzonspor for €3.5 million where he would spend the next three seasons (2016 to 2019).

The Nigerian midfielder, whose contract was terminated by Trabzonspor via mutual agreement in January 2020, signed for another Turkish side Denizlispor.

Onazi revealed that current Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi, who was his coach at Lazio, begged him not to leave the Rome-based club for Trabzonspor.

“The coach I worked with during my time at Lazio, Simone Inzaghi, was a source of motivation every day, every second as a coach. He had a lot of positive energy. Inzaghi begged me not to go to Trabzonspor.

“He gave me more contracts and more money. I told Inzaghi honestly that I had been here for six years and wanted to get another experience.

“He was not happy about this and said to me, ‘If you decide to leave, I can’t stop you.’ But I am still in contact with Simone Inzaghi.”

Onazi was a member of the Super Eagles squad that won the 2013 Afcon in South Africa.

He represented Nigeria at two FIFA senior men’s World Cups in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.